Robert Irwin has been crowned as the winner of Dancing with the Stars USA!
During the 34th season, the Aussie icon proved himself to be a force to be reckoned with on the dance floor, wowing everyone, despite his lack of dance experience.
The wildlife warrior was awarded the Mirrorball Trophy after an intense and spellbinding finale, where he went up against Alix Earle, Dylan Efron, Elaine Hendrix and Jordan Chiles.
It was a milestone moment for the Irwin family as his victory came 10 years after his sister, Bindi, took home the same trophy in 2015 with professional dancer Derek Hough.
“My sister said it best, thank you for changing my life,” Robert said, referencing her win in 2015.
“I’m so grateful for Robert, honestly,” his partner Witney Carson said.
For his final routines, he had to compete in three rounds – judge’s choice, the Instant Dance Challenge and a freestyle routine.
It wasn’t easy for the 21-year-old, who experienced a rib injury before the finale.
During the first round, Robert and Witney did a quickstep to Jet’s hit Are You Gonna Be My Girl?, earning them a score of 29 out of 30.
Judge Bruno Tonioli praised his hard work, and said he danced with the “acceleration of a cheetah”, and had the “power of a lion”.
They scored a perfect score for their Instant challenge, which saw them perform a cha-cha-cha to Cake by the Ocean.
For the freestyle round, Robert wanted to make his father proud, and told Witney that he wished he was there to see his journey on the show.
After his routine, judge Carrie Ann Inaba said Steve would be proud, and hoped he’d accept all of the love in the room.
They scored another 30 for their final dance to Black and Gold by Sam Sparro and The Nights by Aviicii.
It’s now the second trophy for the Irwin family after Bindi won 10 years ago!
Taking to Instagram after his win, Robert gushed over how Bindi “inspired him” to sign up for the competition.
“Where do I begin. I’ll never be able to describe what last night and these last 3 months have meant to me, but I can say THANK YOU,” he penned.
“Thank you for letting me live out my dream. First and foremost to the person who was by my side through every twist and turn… the person who believed in me, pushed me (and made sure I always had snacks in rehearsals) – Witney… thank you.
“This was everything I dreamed it would be and so much more, and Witney, you are the reason I could take this leap of faith and create memories that will last a lifetime.
“10 years ago my sister won the mirrorball, and 11 years ago Witney won – this feels like the most special, full circle moment. And that brings me to my family, they moved all the way out from Australia for 3 months to support me and be there for me every step of the way.
“Bindi, you inspired me to embark on this adventure, and I have you to thank for setting me on the course to take this remarkable journey. I want to thank my fellow contestants and pros who I consider dear friends and made me feel welcome every day. We all gave 100% to this experience and I am so grateful I got to be part of a season full of such passionate, wonderful people.
“Thank you to the AMAZING crew who work tirelessly to make this show a reality and keep it going from strength to strength each and every year. Lastly, and importantly, I want to thank YOU.
“The love I felt from everyone around America and the world was everything to me, it kept us going week after week. Thank you for letting us tell stories through our dances and allowing us to bring you on this journey, I hope it could help you find inspiration and a sense of positivity and passion. It certainly was a healing experience for me.
“Every week I represented my home at Australia Zoo, our charity – Wildlife Warriors, and a legacy that is so important to me. I lift this mirrorball trophy with a sense of gratitude that my message and everything I stand for was recognised in that ballroom.
“The lessons I learned and friendships that I have formed will be part of me forever.”
His proud sister Bindi also took to Instagram to share a video of herself hugging Robert after his win.
“10 years ago, I won Dancing with the Stars. Tonight, my brother takes HIS Mirrorball home.”
In the caption, she said she was proud and that he earned the win.
Their mother, Terri, shared her own tribute on her Instagram, gushing that their father would be “very proud”.
“Congratulations Robert! Your passion, dedication, hard work, and kind heart got you to this point,” she penned.
“A night you will remember forever. Thank you to everyone who supported Robert through this journey, and made us realise that even a zookeeper can learn to dance.
“Witney – you are now part of our family. God bless. I am so very proud of you, Robert. I know your dad is too. Wow!”
